Sweet Micky sworn in as Haitian president

Known to his supporters as Sweet Micky, Mr Martelly is a singer with no previous experience of government.

Eduardo Munoz : Reuters

Michel Martelly has been sworn in as Haiti's president and now faces the daunting task of reconstruction in his poor, earthquake-battered nation.

Known to his supporters as Sweet Micky, Mr Martelly is a singer with no previous experience of government.

The 50-year-old took the oath of office on the site where the parliament building was destroyed by an earthquake last year.

The ceremony went ahead despite a power cut.

Outgoing president Rene Preval joined the applause as his successor received the blue and red Haitian presidential sash.

In the small but volatile Caribbean nation with a history of revolts and dictatorships, the inauguration marks the first time that a democratically-elected Haitian president hands over power to a freely-elected leader from the opposition.

"Haiti was sleeping and today Haiti is waking up... that's the mandate you gave me and, trust me, things will change," Mr Martelly said in his first speech after taking the presidential oath of office.

"Hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder, we're going to change Haiti, rebuild this country to make it stronger."

Bill Clinton, the United Nations special envoy to Haiti, led the US delegation, while French foreign minister Alain Juppe represented Haiti's former colonial ruler.

Among Mr Martelly's most pressing tasks will be rebuilding Haiti's quake-shattered capital and preventing a cholera epidemic from spreading.